Tag: Hogwarts »

Loqheart has unveiled a preview trailer for their upcoming free-to-play wizard academy management game (i.e. Hogwarts simulator), Wizards of Prestige. Your academy is the final hope against the forces of evil, so it's up to you as Headmaster to ensure that your students train up, master their skills, and graduate to fight against the evil. Along the way they may even fall in love or find themselves having a fight in class.

It's also up to you to pick the correct wizards and control them in real-time battles, with good timing and strategy critical to ensuring your wizards get the chance to heal up and fight again another time.

No release date has been announced for Wizards of Prestige as of yet, but you can sign up for the browser pre-alpha now.

Potter fans, rejoice: the first official Harry Potter app has been released to the App Store. iDevice-owning Muggles can grab the app and be Sorted by the Sorting Hat, receive a wand at Olivander's, and then be instructed in the basics of dueling whilst earning points for their House. If this sounds familiar...then, yes, it's because it is similar to previous online offerings from Warner Bros. What makes this app so intriguing, however, is its focus on dueling...specifically, multiplayer duels over both Bluetooth and WiFi.

Yes, that's right; dueling. While the app will allow you to challenge an AI opponent, whipping your friend in a digital duel is undoubtedly better, and I can't wait to test this one out. Fledgling wizards can currently learn up to 14 spells, and the examples given are old favorites: Stupefy!, Expecto Patronum!, Expelliarmus!, and so on. Spells are unleashed with hand gestures and sent between devices. I can't think of a better platform for a handheld duel, especially given the iPhone's accelerometer.

Rounding out the offering are a slew of appreciated extras: Facebook Connect, player stats pages, House rankings, and Hogwarts-wide leaderboards. Warner Bros. is obviously attempting to foster some competitive spirit between friends.

It's worth noting that Harry Potter: Spells isn't targeted at the 99-cent crowd; the app is selling for $4.99. We'll have a review up in a few days with our recommendation, but for now, more information can be found at http://harrypotterspellsapp.com/.